Ranunculus plant named  &#39;abunicorno&#39;

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of Ranunculus plant named ‘ABUNICORNO’ is disclosed, characterized by plants producing a large number of pale yellow flowers having red-orange apical margins. Flowers have a typical vase life of 20 to 25 days. Plants have a unique foliage carriage, with foliage occurring at the base of the plant. The new variety is a Ranunculus, normally produced as a cut flower and potentially useful as an ornamental plant.

Latin name of the genus and species: Ranunculus asiaticus.

Variety denomination: ‘ABUNICORNO’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The new Ranunculus cultivar is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the inventor, Alberto Biancheri at a research nursery in Camporosso Mare, Italy. The cross resulting in this new variety was made during 2013.

The seed parent is Ranunculus ‘ABALCHERA’ U.S. Plant Pat. No. 30,271. The pollen parent is Ranunculus ‘ABLANJI’, U.S. Plant Pat. No. 30,240. The new variety was discovered in 2015 by the inventor in a group of seedlings resulting from the 2013 crossing, in a research greenhouse in Camporosso Mare, Italy.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar was first performed by vegetative division of buds sprouting from the rhizome of the selected plant. Subsequent propagation has been performed by tissue culture. First propagation took place at a research greenhouse in Camporosso Mare, Italy in 2015 and has shown that the unique features of this cultivar are stable and reproduced true to type in multiple successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The cultivar ‘ABUNICORNO’ has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment such as temperature, day length, and light intensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘ABUNICORNO’ These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘ABUNICORNO’ as a new and distinct Ranunculus cultivar:

-   -   1. Pale yellow petals with orange-red tips.     -   2. High quantity of flowers produced per plant.     -   3. Low foliage carriage, flowers occurring high above a low         growing plant.     -   4. Long vase life.     -   5. Long pedicel.

PARENT COMPARISON

Plants of the new cultivar ‘ABUNICORNO’ are similar to plants of the seed parent, in most horticultural characteristics, however, plants of the new cultivar ‘ABUNICORNO’ differ in the following;

-   -   1. Flowers of the new variety are pale yellow with orange-red         tips, flower color of the seed parent is pale salmon.     -   2. Vegetative carriage of the new variety is lower than that of         the seed parent.     -   3. Flower of the new variety are smaller than flowers of the         seed parent.

Plants of the new cultivar ‘ABUNICORNO’ are similar to plants of the pollen parent, in most horticultural characteristics, however, plants of the new cultivar ‘ABUNICORNO’ differ in the following;

-   -   1. Flowers of the new variety are pale yellow with orange-red         tips, flower color of the pollen parent is orange.     -   2. Flowers of the new variety are smaller than flowers of the         pollen parent.     -   3. Vegetative carriage of the new variety is lower than that of         the pollen parent.

COMMERCIAL COMPARISON

Plants of the new cultivar ‘ABUNICORNO’ are comparable to the commercial variety Ranunculus ‘ABOSHOSSI’, U.S. Plant Pat. No. 30,021. The two Ranunculus varieties are similar in most horticultural characteristics; however, the new variety ‘ABUNICORNO’ differs in the following:

-   -   1. Flowers of the new variety are pale yellow with orange-red         tips, flower color of this comparator is yellow-green with a red         apical margin.     -   2. Flowers of the new variety are small than flowers of this         comparator.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying photograph illustrates a close-up view of individual flowers. Plants photographed are approximately six months old, grown in a greenhouse during April in Camporosso, Italy. The photograph was taken using conventional techniques and although colors may appear different from actual colors due to light reflectance it is as accurate as possible by conventional photographic techniques.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

In the following description, color references are made to the Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart 6^(th) edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used. The following observations and measurements describe 5-month-old ‘ABUNICORNO’ plants grown in a greenhouse in Camporosso Mare, Italy. The plant has been described in the month of February. In order to protect the crop against pests, some chemical treatments are performed. Treatments with growth regulators can be performed to limit the plant sizes. In particular, no growth regulators have been applied on the plant described. The rhizome has been planted on raised benches in a peat and pumice substrate mixture. The growing temperature ranged from 12° C. to 26° C. during the day and from 0° C. to 6° C. during the night. General light conditions are bright, normal sunlight. Measurements and numerical values represent averages of typical plant types.

Botanical classification: Ranunculus asiaticus ‘ABUNICORNO’.

-   Propagation:     -   -   Time to rooting.—15 days at approximately 10-12° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted plantlet.—20 days.         -   Root description.—Tuberous root. -   Plant:     -   -   Growth habit.—Herbaceous perennial, semi-prostrate             vegetation.         -   Height to top flower.—40 to 50 cm.         -   Leaf height.—30 to 40 cm.         -   Plant spread.—50 to 60 cm.         -   Growth rate.—Rapid.         -   Branching characteristics.—Main floral stems grow from a             basal rosette with 1 or 2 lateral branches, each one of             which has one or more flowers.         -   Length of lateral branches.—35 to 45 cm.         -   Diameter of lateral branches.—8 to 10 mm.         -   Texture of lateral branches.—Slightly tomentose.         -   Internode length.—Internodes are extremely close together,             forming a basal rosette.         -   Strength of lateral branches.—Strong.         -   Color of lateral branches.—Near RHS Yellow-Green 144A.         -   Aspect/angle of branches.—20° to 30°.         -   Number of leaves per lateral branch.—Usually 2. -   Foliage: The plant has a marked heterophylly that means that in the     same plant the leaves may have different size and arrangement     (simple, ternate and biternate), in relation to the degree of     development (young leaf and mature leaf) and their position on the     plant (basal leaf—leaf at the base of the plant—and cauline     leaf—leaf inserted at the nodes of the floral stems). In other     words, there are significant variation in leaf shape on a same     plant.     -   -   Leaf at the base of the plant.—Arrangement: Simple (young             leaf); Ternate (mature leaf). Average length: 30 to 35 cm.             Average width: 11 to 16 cm. Overall shape of blade: Obovate             (young leaf); Palmatipartite (mature leaf). Dissected             leaves, describe lobes, quantity of dissection: Young leaves             are generally not lobed or a little lobed; mature leaves are             generally divided in 3 parts, each one of which is further             divided in 3 or more lobes. Apex: Rounded. Base: Attenuate.             Attachment: Petiolate. Margin: Dentate. Texture of top             surface: Glabrous. Texture of bottom surface: Glabrous.             Appearance of top surface: Glossy. Appearance bottom             surface: Glossy. Leaf internode length: The internodes are             extremely close together, forming a basal rosette. Color:             Young foliage upper side: RHS Green 137B. Young foliage             under side: RHS Yellow-Green 146C. Mature foliage upper             side: RHS Green 137B. Mature foliage under side: RHS             Yellow-Green 146C. Venation: Type: Dichotomous; plunging             into the limb at the upper surface; raised on the limb at             the lower surface. Venation color upper side: RHS             Yellow-Green 144A. Venation color under side: RHS Green             137B. Petiole: Cross section: Round. Length: Average range             20 to 25 cm. Diameter: Average range 0.5 to 0.8 cm.             Pubescence: Slightly tomentose. Color: RHS Yellow-Green             145A.         -   Leaf inserted at the nodes of the floral stems.—Arrangement:             Ternate. Average Length: 10 to 15 cm. Average Width: 5 to             12 cm. Overall Shape of blade: Palmatipartite. Dissected             leaves, describe lobes, quantity of dissection: Generally             simple or divided in 2 or 3 lobes. Apex: Acute. Base:             Attenuate. Attachment: Petiolate. Margin: Dentate. Texture             of top surface: Glabrous. Texture of bottom surface:             Glabrous. Appearance of top surface: Matte. Appearance             bottom surface: Matte. Leaf internode length: Average 3 to             5 cm. Color: Foliage upper side: RHS Green RHS 137B. Foliage             under side: RHS Yellow-Green 146C. Venation: Type:             Dichotomous, plunging into the limb at the upper surface and             raised on the limb at the lower surface. Venation color             upper side: RHS Yellow-Green 144A. Venation color under             side: RHS Green 137B. Petiole: Cross-section: Round to             slightly flat. Length: Average 3 to 10 cm. Diameter: Average             0.3 to 0.5 cm. Pubescence: Slightly tomentose. Color: RHS             Yellow-Green 144A. -   Flower:     -   -   Quantity per plant.—12 to 15.         -   Bloom period.—Winter to Spring.         -   Vase life (cut flower).—20 to 25 days.         -   Persistent or self-cleaning.—Self-Cleaning.         -   Bud.—Closed bud: Shape: Flattened globular with a sharp             point. Length: Average 1.0 to 2.5 cm. Diameter: Average 1.7             to 2.5 cm. Color: RHS Yellow-Green 145A. Slightly open bud:             Shape: Flattened globular. Length: Average 2.0 to 3.0 cm.             Diameter: Average 3.0 to 3.5 cm. Color: RHS Yellow-Green             146B.         -   Flower.—Fully Open Diameter: Average 6 to 8 cm. Fully Open             Height: Average 3 to 3.5 cm.         -   Corolla.—Round, regular, in cross-section.         -   Petals.—Arrangement: Imbricated, disposed on the receptacle             in very tight verticils. The size of the petals is quite             variable, according to the position in the corolla,             decreasing from the exterior toward the center. Average             size: Lobe Length: Average 3.0 to 4.0 cm. Lobe Width:             Average 4.0 to 5.0 cm. Quantity: Double flower, petals are             very numerous (>100). Texture: Silky, resistant. Lobe Apex:             Rounded. Lobe shape: Obovate. Margin: Crenulate. Aspect:             Concave, incurved at the apex. Color when opening: Upper             surface: Near RHS Green-Yellow 1C, Orange-Red 35B at apical             margin. Lower surface: Near RHS Green-Yellow 1C, Orange-Red             35B at apical margin. Color Fully opened: Upper surface:             Near RHS Yellow 2D, Orange-Red 35B at apical margin. Lower             surface: Near RHS Yellow 2D, Orange-Red 35B at apical             margin.         -   Calyx/sepals.—Quantity per flower: 8 or 10. Shape: Rounded             deltate. Length: Average 1.5 to 2.5 cm. Width: Average 0.6             to 1.0 cm. Apex: Acute. Base: Truncate. Margin: Entire.             Texture: Lower surface: Tomentose. Upper surface: Glabrous.             Color: Upper Surface: RHS Yellow-Green 146D. Lower Surface:             RHS Yellow-Green 146B.         -   Peduncle.—None.         -   Pedicel.—Length: Average range 36 to 48 cm. Diameter:             Average range 1.0 to 1.2 cm. Color: RHS Yellow-Green 145A.             Orientation: Upright. Pubescence: Slightly tomentose.             Fragrance: None. -   Reproductive organs:     -   -   Androecium.—Absent.         -   Gynoecium.—The pistils are numerous, short, locked together             at the center of the corolla, dome-shaped apocarpous             gynoecium. Pistil color: Near RHS Purple N79A. Nectar             glands: Absent. -   Other characteristics:     -   -   Disease resistance.—Not observed.         -   Drought tolerance and cold tolerance.—No differences have             been noted in comparison to the common tolerance             characteristics to other Ranunculus cultivars.         -   Fruit/seed production.—Not observed. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of Ranunculus named ‘ABUNICORNO’ as herein illustrated and described. 